Is this for real?

I got an e-mail message the other day from a friend. It had been forwarded several times. It claimed to be a "science project" and asked that I forward it to ten other people. At times like this, I use the most powerful tool I have to protect my computer. It's shown below.


Exactly what kind of science project would require spamming my friends with e-mail they don't want? I was sure this was junk but, just to be sure, I checked two sites I often use: Urban Legends Reference Pages and Hoaxbusters. I typed the words "science project" in the search box and, sure enough, this message was jive.

If you get an e-mail message warning of a new virus, instructing you to delete a file from your computer or asking you to forward the message to all your friends, it may be a hoax. Do yourself a favor and check it out first.